Thursday, May 8, 2014

So . . . on March 10, 1919
the wall of a warehouse that belonged to the United States Army’s quartermaster
gave way, and 2,000 cases of beef for the fortunate troops fell into the
Chicago River.The clerk at the
warehouse, Edward J. Maher, saw the whole thing take place, which was not a
good thing for his career.On April 26
Mr. Maher was “discharged from service in the quartermaster’s department.”[Chicago
Tribune, May 8, 1919]

Mr. Maher left the nation’s
service, a wiser man, and he “took into his confidence Frank Zahour, a
detective sergeant; Marcel Wieczerek, bridge tender, and Fred Bezwiewecz.They formed a closed corporation for the
salvage of the beef and set forth in a tug.”

Unfortunately for the beef
quartet, Special Agent Jerry Bouchal of the Chicago Junction Railroad spotted
the beef boys and “ended the existence of the salvage operation by taking the
officers, directors and stockholders into custody.”

So it was that “The affairs
of the Chicago River Canned Meat Salvage company [were] concluded except for
the difficulties in which the promoters find themselves.”